Contractor Information

With a CITB Shared Apprentice, help is always at hand

The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme is an innovative collaboration between CITB and regional partners. It has been established in response to industry demand, as a way of providing construction contractors with an opportunity to meet local training obligations, to support and benefit from apprentices event if they are unable to offer them a long-term placement, and to maximise additional training opportunities for apprentices.

The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme could be for you if:

You have a training opportunity in an area that you don’t traditionally work in or

You have identified a training opportunity within your company for an apprentice, but can’t commit to the long-term employment of that apprentice and

You are committed to giving apprentices an opportunity to learn and progress

The apprentice is employed by the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme, so employment responsibilities will be taken care of and you will only be re-charged for the time the apprentice is with you.

The flexible nature of this scheme can provide your business with the chance to secure new contracts and at the same time provide an opportunity for an apprentice.

Your business will benefit from an injection of energy from talented young people when your workload peaks.

All Shared Apprentices get the best training the industry can offer – with CITB.

Our focused selection process gives you the opportunity to select the correct person for your company.

Your business will benefit from the significant saving of the costs normally associated with recruitment.

Your apprentice will be fully supported by CITB representatives, who are committed to helping them complete their qualifications and become successful tradespeople.

At the end of the scheme, or at any point during, you have the option to take over the apprentice’s employment – adding a fully-trained member to your workforce.

“We got involved in the shared apprenticeship programme because of its flexibility. If we get a busy period we can take a trainee on, but we aren’t financially committed for the normal length of an apprenticeship which is about three years. This lack of risk means we’re more likely to employ more apprentices in the future. The scheme works for us as Building Skills do an assessment of trainees before they start. They’re given a full induction and an apprenticeship tool kit which prepares them and makes sure they have the right attitude. This also frees up our time. We get invoiced for each apprentice by BSFF rather than having to pay them through our payroll so we have less administration.”

“We’re giving people a chance to get a position in the building industry when they might have otherwise struggled to find work.

Gerard McEvoy, Director of Penny Lane Builders Ltd

To find out more about a SAS in your area, please contact the following:

Shared Apprenticeship Scheme - Benefits

The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme allows employers to support and benefit from apprentices, even if they are unable to offer them a long term placement

The Scheme allows employers to enjoy all the benefits of an apprentice, without any long-term risk or long-term cost to their business.An apprentice who completes the full three-year apprenticeship will pick up an NVQ Level 3 in their chosen trade. Currently, around 90% of apprentices who complete the three years have secured full time employment in their chosen trade.

The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme allows apprentices to complete a full apprenticeship programme by working with a number of different employers, to gain the skill sets they require to become qualified.

It has been set up to help employers who want to support the development of skills while working on regional contracts, but are not in a position to offer a full term apprenticeship, and who wish to support training the future workforce.

The Scheme is being rolled out by CITB following successful pilots in Lancashire, Merseyside and Wales.Ten schemes are being developed, which will see 500 extra apprentices joining the UK’s construction industry workforce every year.

How does it work?

Getting involved in the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme allows employers to dip in and out of apprentice training. The Scheme allows you to take on an apprentice, for as short a duration as three months, with no commitment to the apprentice at the end.

Once the apprentice has finished working with an employer they are found another placement, and upon framework completion, they will be assisted in sourcing permanent employment within their chosen trade.

Benefits of the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme - Testimonials

“It helps with our involvement and commitment to training, especially for young people. It fitted our organisation because it allowed us to have a group of people working on different trades, for different members of our supply chain"

Michael Conlon - Construction Director, Conlon Construction

It gives young people a great opportunity to get a foot on the ladder of working.”Paul SumnerConstruction Director, Bluetree Civils and Construction

"The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme has been a brilliant opportunity for me… It’s giving me fantastic skills so that I can build a career for myself.”

Rachel Prescott Apprentice Painter & Decorator, Calico Interiors

“This opportunity has helped me build a career for the future. Ideally, I either want to start my own company or go into site management.

Wales - Y PrentisY Prentis is a shared apprenticeship programme, sponsored by CITB and the Welsh Government, that employs apprentices on behalf of the industryand rotates them through hosted placements within construction companies. It was set up in October 2012 and is owned by Melin Homes and CMC² and run by employment experts So Savi.

“The flexibility of the scheme, mixed with the opportunity it gives to young people finding their feet in a challenging industry is unique. As a company, some of our workload is comprised of short-term projects in relatively narrow fields of operation, that doesn’t allow us to employ apprentices directly ourselves. Our involvement with CtFL has enabled us to continue our proud tradition of providing craftspeople with such training.

The team at CtFL are obviously committed to providing their trainees with the best possible chances to create a long-term career for themselves. This commitment is proven in the high standard of apprentices that have been placed with us, and by the ongoing monitoring and support that we have received from CtFL during the apprentice’s time with us.